The integration of mental health and substance abuse treatment is at the forefront of a national trend toward a more holistic approach to wellness. For people with
co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders, access to effective treatment can be the difference between a sustained recovery and a prolonged struggle. In a strategic move to more effectively meet those needs, ADMH has merged the Division of Mental Illness Services and the Division of Substance Abuse Services into one division. This merger affords the opportunity for the department to break down the service silos that tend to develop between divisions. In addition, the merger will more closely align ADMH’s departmental structure with federal priorities and funding streams designed to promote holistic sustained recovery.

A merger task force of stakeholders including providers and consumers has been established. It is charged with developing a comprehensive plan regarding issues that need to be addressed. The task force recommendations are expected to propose a systematic approach to merging the two divisions resulting in an enhanced continuum of community-based services that will be much more responsive to the needs of the individuals ADMH serves.

Mental Illness services are comprised of a
comprehensive array of treatment services and supports
through three state-operated facilities and contractual
agreements with community mental health centers across
the state. The MHSA Central Office staff provides
oversight and support for the continuum of care through
its offices of quality improvement, consumer relations,
deaf services, community programs, certification,
facilities management, and the indigent drug program.

Less than 1,000 individuals are served annually in the
state-operated facilities, while over 100,000 receive
services in certified
community-based programs.

ADMH promotes recovery-based services and
involves all stakeholders in setting and prioritizing
service goals designed to meet the needs of the citizens
that we serve.